Wrench.



R. Q. WARREN.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR-28, 1915.

1,285,850. Patented Nov. 26, I918.

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ROBERT Q. WARREN, 0F BRISTOL, VIRGINIA.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

Application filed April 28, 1915. Serial No. 24,494

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT Q. \VARREN, a citizen of the United States, residin at Bristol, in the county of \Vashington, tate of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in renches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to pipe wrenches and it has for its object to provide a wrench that may be operated with one hand by reason of the fact that the movable jaw is held normally open through the medium of a spring latch, the jaw being swung from such engagement when pressed against the pipe and the spring latch then serving to hold the pivoted jaw snugly against the pipe with the latter between it and the fixed jaw so as to efi'ect a positive grip of the pipe.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a side view of a wrench constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of what is shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, a perspective View of the pivoted gripping jaw, and

Fig. 4, a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings the improved wrench is shown as comprising a shank 10 one end of which terminates in a handle 11 and its other end in a fixed jaw 12 provided on its inner face with a plurality of inwardly directed gripping teeth 13. The movable jaw of the wrench comprises a body portion 14 provided with a recess 15 opening through the edge thereof adjacent the jaw 12. Formed integral with the body portion 14 are spaced eye members 16 and 17 slidably engaged on the shank 10. The inner wall of the eye member 17 is held normally spaced from the adjacent edge of the shank 10 by means of a bow spring 18. Formed on the body portion 14 is a tooth 19 adapted to selectively engage teeth 20 formed on the edge of the shank 10 adjacent said body portion. To disengage the tooth 19 from the teeth 20 for the purpose of eflecting longitudinal adjustment of the body portion 14 on the shank 10 the eye member 17 is pressed upon against the influence of the spring 18 which will move the end of the body portion 14 adjacent the handle 11 so as to disengage the tooth 19 from the teeth 20. The movable jaw further embodies a gripping element 21 provided with an ear 22 engaged in the recess 15 and pivotally secured to the body portion by a ivot pin 23 engaged through the car 22. he gripping element 21 is provided with a toothed concave gripping face 24 disposed substantially opposite the toothed inner face of the jaw 12. Secured to the body portion 14 is one end of a leaf spring latch 25 which is provided with a notch 26 receivlng a projection 27 on the gripping element 21 and serving to hold said element at the limits of its outward pivotal movement. When, however, the wrench is shoved onto a pipe to force the latter between its fixed jaw and the gripping element 21, the leaf spring latch is forced outwardly through the action of the projection 27 so that the latch is no longer effective. Immediately, however, the spring latch above this notch, contacts with the projection 27 and serves to hold the gripping element 21 snugly against the pipe, as will be readily understood. It will be noted that the pivot pin 23 is so situated that when the gripping element moves inwardly it will also move toward the jaw 12 and thus intensify the gripping action exerted upon a pipe disposed between same and the jaw 12. It will be further, noted that by making the gripping face of the element 21 concave said face will engage a pipe throughout a relatively large extent of its periphery and thereby enhance the gripping action of the ring. By disposing the car 22 centrally of the element 21 it w1ll be obvious that shoulders are formed on either side of said ear adapted to bear against the body portion 14 and relieve the pin 23 of any strain.

Scales 28 are provided on one side of the shank 10 and suitably designated for different diameters of pipe. Through the medium of these scales the movable jaw can be readily adjusted for operation upon a desired pipe without the necessity of repeated trials.

What is claimed is 1. A wrench comprising a shank having one end terminating in a handle and its other end in a fixed jaw, a movable jaw adjustable on the shank, a gripping element pivoted to the movable jaw, a leaf spring having one end secured to the movable jaw and provided with a notch, and a projection on the gripping element engegeeble in said notch in one position of the element to hold the latter against pivotal movement, said spring in other positions of the element reacting on the projection to force said element in the direction of the shank.

2. In a. wrench the combination with ajaw having a shank end a gripping member pivotelly mounted for movement toward and away from the jaw for gripping movement with respect thereto, of means for holding the gripping member against pivoting when at one limit of its movement and for urging it in the direction of its opposite limit when in meesoo moved from holding relation to the holding means.

3. A wrench comprising 9. jew havin a. shank and a gripping element pivote lly mounted for movement toward and away fsom the jaw and a spring latch disposed for engagement by the gripplng member to hold t against pivoting when remote from the ew and. for urging it toward the jaw after has been shifted from such holding reieion.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT Q. WARREN.

Witnesses:

C. B. KnAnFoTT, Q. G. CONVERSE. 

